| Álvaro Gómez Hurtado | |
|---|---|
| Colombia Ambassador to France | |
| In office 1991–1993 |
|
| President | César Gaviria |
| Preceded by | Alfonso López Caballero |
| Succeeded by | Miguel Gómez Martínez |
| Colombia Ambassador to United States | |
| In office March 9, 1983 – December 17, 1985 |
|
| President | Belisario Betancur Cuartas |
| Preceded by | Jorge Salazar |
| Succeeded by | Rodrigo Lloreda Caicedo |
| Colombia Ambassador to Italy | |
| In office 1953–1953 |
|
| President | Roberto Urdaneta Arbeláez |
| Senator of Colombia | |
| In office 1951–1952 |
|
| Constituency | Cundinamarca |
| Member of the Colombian Chamber of Representatives | |
| In office 1949–1951 |
|
| In office 1944–1946 |
|
| Colombia Ambassador to Switzerland | |
| In office 1947–1948 |
|
| President | Mariano Ospina Pérez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 8, 1919 Bogotá, DC, Colombia |
| Died | November 2, 1995 (aged 76) Bogotá, DC, Colombia |
| Nationality | Colombian |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Margarita Escobar López (1946-1995) |
| Relations | Laureano Gómez (father) |
| Children | Mauricio Gómez Escobar Mercedes Gómez Escobar Álvaro José Gómez Escobar |
| Alma mater | Pontifical Xavierian University |
| Occupation | Journalist, politician |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Álvaro Gómez Hurtado (May 8, 1919 - November 2, 1995) was a Colombian lawyer, politician, journalist and active member of the Colombian Conservative Party. Gómez was a son of the former President of Colombia, Laureano Gómez. He is mostly remembered for being one of the writers of the Colombian Constitution of 1991 and for failing three times to win election to the presidency.
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Álvaro Gómez grew up in a traditional neighborhood of Bogotá, La Candelaria. He attended school in Brussels, Belgium and Buenos Aires, Argentina while his father was a diplomat. They returned to Bogotá and Gómez went to the Colegio de San Bartolomé, graduating in 1936. He then studied law at the Pontifical Xavierian University graduating as lawyer in 1941 with his thesis Influencias del Estoicismo en el Derecho Romano ("The Influence of Stoicism in Roman Law").
He began writing for the newspaper El Siglo, which was owned by his father. He later founded a business weekly magazine called Síntesis Económica ("Economic Synthesis") and created and produced a TV news show called Noticiero 24 Horas ("24 Hours News").
Gómez Hurtado's first political office was as councilman for the city of Bogotá. He then ran for the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia and was elected for a four year term. After finishing his term, he was elected to the Senate. Gómez was named "plenipotentiary minister" several times. He was also appointed as Ambassador to the United Nations, Switzerland[1], Italy, United States and France.
Gómez also founded the National Salvation Movement for whom he unsuccessfully ran for the presidency of Colombia three times: In 1974 against Alfonso López Michelsen, in 1986 against Virgilio Barco and in 1990 against César Gaviria.
He was elected to the Constituent Assembly that created the Colombian Constitution of 1991. He was co-president of the Constituent Assembly along with Horacio Serpa and Antonio Navarro. After the Constitution was written, Gómez left politics and focused on journalism and academia.
In 1988, Gómez was kidnapped by the M-19 guerrillas, then led by Antonio Navarro. Navarro released him after the intervention of Álvaro Leyva.[2]
Álvaro Gómez was murdered by gunmen on November 2, 1995 in Bogotá while leaving the Sergio Arboleda University where he was a professor. It was suggested a former Norte del Valle Cartel member named Luis Hernando Gomez (aka "rasguño") that Gómez was killed by former members of the Colombian National Police to help some politicians involved in the 8000 Process scandal.[3]
Álvaro Gómez was married to Margarita Escobar López and had three children: Mauricio, Mercedes and Álvaro José. He was the son of former president of Colombia, Laureano Gómez and María Hurtado Cajiao and was the second of four siblings; Cecilia, Rafael and Enrique.